1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to fluid conveying and, more particularly, to conveying fluid betwen a fixed and a movable point or any two relatively movable points.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Flexible hose made of rubber or some other deformable material is commonly used to convey fluid between points which are not rigidly fixed with respect to each other. In some instances, however, a rubber hose is not durable enough to withstand the abuse or environment to which the fluid conduit is subjected in a particular application. In those applications where conditions are not suitable for a flexible hose, it is known to utilize an articulated pipe to convey fluid, as shown, for example, in the United States patent to Marancik et al U.S. Pat. No. 2,648,20l. The articulated pipe can expand and contract to accommodate the varying distances between fixed and movable points, or terminals.
One of the problems with the use of an articulated pipe for fluid conveyance between relatively movable points is that during contraction the pipe will not always fold up in a predictable manner. For example, in a typical installation where the articulated pipe is used to convey fluid, such as oil, between a fixed terminal on the ocean bed, and a movable terminal such as a ship, the articulated pipe, as it contracts due to movement of the ship closer to the fixed terminal, will be subjected to the forces of the sea and can easily twist and turn into an unpredictable and damaging configuration.